1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an improved device for data collection and retrieval, having its primary use for hand held data entry devices used for utility meter reading, data entry and readout purposes. Such devices generally include memory to store data, a keyboard to select specific data for display and to store new data, a display, an interface to receive or transmit data to a computer and/or to print a hard copy.
2. State of the Prior Art
In the prior art preprinted forms are used to efficiently record dta gathered or collected in the field. The data is later transfered to a computer for analysis, test evaluation, file compilation, tabulation or invoicing.
The weakness in this system lies in the intermediate processing stage, which relies on manual data transfer, or, by means of reading devices, from the forms to the computer. This stage has in general been plagued with inaccuracies, inefficiencies and is time consuming.
To offset these difficulties and to streamline this operation, disclosures have been made of portable, hand held data collection devices containing a keyboard display, memory and interface to provide means for storing the data via the keyboard as it is collected, and for later transfer electronically into the computer.
Comparing the two data collection systems, the preprinted form has the advantage of a large and unrestrictive memory space, for in a page, one can preprint qualifying information, allocate spaces for field entries, overprint via computer additional specific data and allocate spaces for selective field notation, as it arises in the course of data collection.
A portable, hand held data collection device is restricted by its memory and size and, of course, by the need to have adequate capacity for at least a days work, for best utilization of the operators time.
This, and the type of internal organization designed in the device, in prior art, has restricted their use to some classes of applications.
There are classes of applications, where the form format is simple, for instance, re-ordering of goods. As an example, a column or field is allocated to part number or to item identification and another for quantity to order. Each field length is preset as indicated by the application. An entry, therefore, has fixed format in the number of characters per field and the number of fields and each entry is stored in memory contiguously and adjacent to the previous entry. To retrieve the data, say for display, the memory is addressed in fixed increments equal to the length of both fields.
In other classes of application, data from the computer is required in order to aid, instruct or qualify the data gathering process. An example is a widespread network of unattended field installations where an operator is required to inspect and collect say, three variables. The data from the computer would be a list of locations of the installations to visit. In this case, we have again a fixed format.
Azur describes in U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,542 a data collection device organized as an electronic notebook. Using the last example given above, the data collection device is programmed to accomodate four fields per line of which the first field is the computer data, namely the location of the installation, and the other three are allocated to recording of the three variables. Each line in this collection device pertains to a different installation and all lines have identical, fixed format with corresponding fields in each line matching. In operation, the device responds to a fixed format, except that it can be reprogrammed if another application requires a different fixed field format. Yet, other classes of application exist, which, also require data from the computer, which can have fixed or variable field lengths and variable format. (ie. continuously variable number of fields)
An example is utility meter reading, where an address and other relevant data, which might be selectively incorporated per subscriber, is provided by the computer. This data enables the meter reader to locate and identify each of the plurality of meters per subscriber and to record the meter readings. In this example, unless the route record is simplified into restricted, fixed format, the prior art will not function, as exemplified by the Azur U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,542, Reed et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,169,290 or Martin U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,247. The Reed or Martin Patents are simply a restricted adaptation (non programmable fixed field length) of the Azur Patent. The reason for the restricted adaptability, is that the Azur, Martin or the Reed developments rely on a preprogrammed positional system, in which memory addressing coordinates are generated to specify the locations where the data is stored. This is useful for columnar formatting with identical customer data format. But, if the format changes, as it often does, from customer to customer, and from Route to Route and in addition, the meter reader desires selectively to inject additional useful, but not preprogrammed information, the prior art meter reading devices cannot be adapted or used. Azur U.S. Pat. No. 4,016,542; Reed et al U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,169,290 and 4,352,164; Etter U.S. Pat. No. 4,133,034; Martin U.S. Pat. No. 4,090,247 or Newell U.S. Pat. No. 4,387,296 disclose fixed sequential systems of addressing of data in memory, whereby a key activation can only step into the next file or account in the sequence. In the specific application of meter reading, the meter reader often must decide to deviate from the direction of his movement prescribed by his meter reading device. Flooding for instance, can stop him in his tracks and if he elects to continue elsewhere, readdressing the device to start at a new location can be very onerous, and can lead to accounts being missed.
Locating alternate streets or buildings is not only desirable, but a necessary feature in a meter reading application, more so, when all the data is hidden in a device and not accessible at a glance, as would be, by quickly leafing through the pages of a meter book. None of the prior art disclosures provide for such aids.
As often is the case, meter readers deviate from the prescribed sequence or order of reading meters sometimes for convenience and often times by necessity. Under these conditions it is possible to skip an account or a service in an account. Provision in the device for automatic checking of skipped or missed meter readings and display thereof, eliminates these common type of errors. None of the prior art disclosures provide for such a tool.
Meter readers often keep special notations and special instructions in their meter books and also update existing data such as a new location of the meter or a new meter serial number. Prior art disclosures do not provide means for updating, varying or adapting the record in the field as different conditions arise, nor do they have provision for storing readings of new accounts and identifying their position in the sequence for future inclusion in the route record. The result is a less efficient data gathering system, and definitely, an inefficient total system of record keeping.
Reporting of problems for remedial action is an important task assigned to a meter reader. Broken glass, seals, detection of leaks, tampering etc. are cause of hazards, liability and financial loss to a utility.
Reed, Etter, Azur rely on restricted numerical codes to describe an item to be reported. Since the number of reporting problems is large, this method is inadequate because it cannot encompass the range of problems encountered. Their systems restricted the number of reporting types available to the meter reader to be cut down to about ten and only one type could be stored at a time. Newell bypassed coding and reference to a list, by providing ten keys on the keyboard suitably labelled, which is also restrictive.
This invention provides for an unrestricted number of reporting problems to be entered by the meter reader and allows for visual verification of the entry in text form.
It is a norm in the utility industry to enforce verification of the meter reading, since, erroneous readings lead to customer complaints, poor public relations and very costly rereads. In most utilities, the meter book contains the previous entries not only for record keeping, but also for verification. In many utilities, the meter reader subtracts the previous recorded reading from his reading to fill a column of consumption which becomes an easier method of verification. A scan of that column quickly draws attention to an off-reading which is tantamount to a mental HI, LO limit check. In addition, the data processors, upon receiving the readings, carry out checks, and if off limits, the account is flagged for verification.
The inclusion of high and low limits in a data collection device, has the purpose of only drawing attention that the reading is off, but does not necessarily ensure a correct reading. In this invention this concept is taken a step further for assurance of the integrity of the data.
Management control on the productivity and efficiency of meter readers is a desirable tool which has been included in this invention. This inclusion of the time of reading and storing of the sequence in which meter reading are taken provide means to constantly update the route patterns as required by changing conditions in the field.
Memory capacity is a serious and common limitation to all solid state hand held data collection devices due to size and cost. To optimize the use of memory and thereby compress more data for a given memory capacity, a novel organization structure of data and apparatus is disclosed.
Kashio U.S. Pat. No. 4,031,515 describes a system of data compression in which same item words in adjacent records are replaced by a special character, once the first has been stored. In this manner equal words of n characters, are cut down to one, until the item word changes. Kashio's invention is successful for one type of application, in which the data structure in terms of the number of fields is fixed, and compression takes place if the files with identical type fields are contiguous. Otherwise compression does not take place.
This invention describes a different system of data compression in which equal type data in the files are totally suppressed and do not depend on contiguous record positioning within the data stream. Compression always takes place. This invention is adaptable to a wide spectrum of applications.
In conclusion, the weaknesses discussed for meter reading, apply for the general class of applications involving man-machine communications and the introduction of controls to improve and maintain data collection efficiency. Many of the features of this invention truly fill the need for a universal data collection device, in which source data can be variable in field length and format and yet, storage and retrieval of data is obtained efficiently and reliably with simple key actuation. Such a device would have the advantages of the preprinted sheets, provide for any formatting desired and yet conserve memory through data compression.